Our country has suffered a tremendous loss of life, and many workers and business owners have been hurt. On at least those two points, both Trump and Biden agree.
As a result, we are bombarded with arguments about fault and orders and policies. These arguments make for tasty political fodder. Meanwhile, people die, businesses are destroyed and our economy stagnates.
Rather than arguing against or for blanket orders – I will leave that to those whose job it is to make those arguments – I implore everyone to exercise personal responsibility.
Those who defend orders need to remember they mean nothing without voluntary compliance. There are not enough cops and bureaucrats. Conversely, by not wearing masks and social distancing, opponents of orders provide ammunition, as the virus spreads, to those who advocate for them.
Our community has been relatively fortunate. Despite the virus raging across Wisconsin, we have had relatively few deaths, our hospitals have capacity and our infection rate is lower than many places in the state.
I have heard many explanations as to why we are doing better than other communities. I am convinced that our residents have done a better job of mask-wearing and social distancing. I have personally seen communities where nobody wears masks. At first they were fine, but most or all now have problems.
We need to keep it up and strive to improve.
It is not cowardice or a threat to liberty to take precautions that might help others.
Like many of you, I recoil from rules. I do not believe that it is government’s job to protect me from myself. However, I do not look at the CDC recommendations as rules. I do not follow them because they are required, to virtue signal or primarily to protect myself. Instead, I see them as considerate precautions voluntarily followed by polite, responsible, conservative people who care about others and the Golden Rule. They are the right thing to do.
- Wear a mask when you are indoors outside of your home.
- When possible, rather than meeting in-person, reach out virtually to socialize or to conduct business.
- If an in-person meeting is necessary, wear a mask.
- Keep your in-person social group small.
- Stay out of crowds. Do not plan large in-person events.
- Keep your distance when you are with people other than your family.
Although annoying, these are modest efforts. Most of the best medical minds assure us that these efforts will slow the spread. If they prove to be wrong, and that is possible, we have only been inconvenienced. However, if they are effective and we ignore them, we spread the disease and hasten the deaths, sickness and perhaps long-term chronic illnesses of even more people.
“Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue.” – Samuel Adams
“It is substantially true that virtue and morality is a necessary spring of popular government.” – George Washington
“To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.”– James Madison